Only A Number
by Mitsukai
Summary: Kakashi has lost three of the most important people in his life. Now that he allowed himself to love one more time, can he bear to lose her? One-shot, KakaSaku.


**Author's Note:** This is a really short KakaSaku one-shot that came to mind a long time ago. I'm not a particular fan of the pairing, though I don't hate it either, but the idea stuck in my mind for a long time, so I _had _to turn it into a fanfiction. It's still really short though, sadly. Also, this being my first fanfiction, I would love your advice and tips! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **_Naruto_ does not belong to me, nor does its characters, no matter how much I would like it to.

* * *

"Sakura!" the jounin called frantically through the rain to the fleeing girl. "Just give it a chance! One chance… that's all I ask for." 

She stopped running and turned around to face him. He noted that they were on the bridge which had become their meeting place when he still taught Team 7.

"Sakura, please," Kakashi begged his former student, a desperate look in his eye. "I love you."

"Kakashi, you must understand," the kunoichi tried to explain, "I love you too. But-"

"But what? Isn't our love enough?"

She shook her head remorsefully at the masked man's attempts. "It would seem immoral and unethical. What would other people think? For one, I was once your pupil! Plus, our ages are too far apart. I mean, you're thirteen years older than me!"

"Thirteen years?" he asked. "It's only a number."

"It's not _only_ a number, Kakashi! You know how people are these days- they make everything seem wrong! Think about it! A man supposedly in love with a girl who is not only more than a decade younger than him but also a former student of his... it will be used against us."

"Supposedly in love?" Kakashi questioned. "But I _am_ in love with you! Nothing can break that!"

"I only wish that was true..." Sakura murmured. "Kakashi... I don't doubt your love for me... but we are shinobi. Tools of war... Emotions will get in the way of our duties."

"Sakura..." He looked at her in anguish. "I'm lost without you."

"I truly love you. Really, I do. Don't look at me like that," she pleaded. "I can't..." She bowed her head to hide the tears forming in her eyes.

"Do you mean that?" he asked. He tried to keep the agony out of his voice.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi. People... what they would think... Our reputations will be ruined. I can't let that happen to you. Forget about me. Live like you did before you met me. I'm just another girl, another ninja… another weapon."

At that, Sakura pulled Kakashi's mask down and kissed him full on the lips. He did nothing to stop her. Tears were running down both of their cheeks, mixing with the rain that was covering both of their faces. They could taste the salty water between their lips, but neither cared. The two ninjas wanted… needed to share a final moment with each other... to know that they really did love the other… to make sure it was the right decision.

"I love you." The three words that could have brought so much happiness to the two were now filled with sadness. She turned and left with growing sorrow, hoping she had made the right choice. He just stood in the middle of the bridge. There, they had met to train so many years ago, as teacher and student. Now, they would part ways, as broken-hearted lovers.

"I love you, too, Sakura," Kakashi murmured to her after she had left. He slid his mask back on, somberly trudging home through the dreary weather. _I always will…_

_

* * *

_

_A Month Later_

Kakashi stared at the memorial stone. _Haruno Sakura_. He read the name over and over again. He couldn't believe she was dead, so soon after he had confessed that he had fallen in love with the girl.

_She makes four,_ he thought with sorrow. _Four people who I actually cared for have died. First Obito, then Rin, and after that Yondaime-sensei. And now her._ He couldn't even bear to think of her name- it brought back the pain as well as the memories. Memories that he wanted to forget…

_Her hair, such an unusual color. It felt so good between my fingers... I wish I could stroke it one more time. Her eyes, those striking emerald orbs. They were beauty at its fullest_. The shinobi blinked away the tears forming in his eyes. _Four people..._

He turned away from the memorial and walked away. _Four... It's only a number._

_

* * *

_

Thanks for reading!


End file.
